Fall 201 - Cross County Historical Society

Cross County Historical Society
P. O. Box 943, Wynne, AR 72396
Cross County ERA
www.cchs1862.org
VOLUME 7—NO. 4
SEPTEMBER 25, 2012
FALL 2012
Walk Through History on Hamilton Avenue Held
On September 15, the Historical Society sponsored a Walk through History up and down
the National Historic District on Hamilton Avenue and Eldridge Court in Wynne. The Walk
was presented by Rachel Silva of Arkansas Heritage. It began at Regions Bank parking lot at
the northeast corner of North Falls Boulevard and East Hamilton Avenue and after approximately three hours, ended at the starting point.
The tour circled through Eldridge Court, emerging again on Hamilton. Included in the
tour were three rest stops, the first at the home of Mark and Bundy Hickey at 813 East Hamilton. This 1912 home was built by Clara and Herman Block, and at one time was the home of
well known attorney, James Robertson, World War I fighter pilot. The turn-around point and
refreshment stop occurred at the home of Bridget Hart at 503 N. Killough Road. Close to the
end of the trek, the group stopped and toured the home of Michael and Terry Twist at 1017
East Hamilton. This ca. 1938 home was built by Tom and Kathleen Murray. Tom Murray
owned the Chevrolet place in Wynne from1926 until the 1970s.
A beautiful, red, hard-top Volkswagen convertible was furnished by Esther Witcher for
those who could not walk the distance.
Some of the homes featured in the tour are shown below in pictures taken many years ago.
The first two of those homes are completely gone and the area is now commercially zoned.
The large Andrews home, built on two lots at 704 Hamilton by Raphael and Hester Hamilton
Block. Their four children, Herman, Felix, Nina and Dave, lived in Wynne for many years
afterwards. ―Miss Nina‖ taught piano lessons in this home during the 1940s and 1950s. The
house was torn down in 1971 and replaced with the Colony Shop building. Regions Bank
now occupies the structure. The second picture was the Urfer home in 1947, built ca.1925 by
Felix Block, one of the sons of Raphael and Hester Block. It was located on the second vacant lot east of Regions Bank. The remaining homes pictured are still standing and occupied.
Block/Andrews (Regions Bank lot) 1947
Whit Shaver - 924 Hamilton - 1947
Urfer, 726 Hamilton 1947. (Burned ca 1973 )
Dr. Thos. Wilson / Jim Hart, 102 Eldridge Ct. 1986
Cross County Museum
711 East Union, Wynne
CCHS Meetings Coming
The Historical Society Board
will meet at the museum on
Thursday, September 20 at
6:30. The October board meeting will be on the 26th, also at
6:30. All members of the historical society are invited to all
board meetings. Suggestions
are welcome.
Nominations are being taken
now for board positions.
Contact Hope Mullins at
[email protected]
ools.com or call the museum at
238-4100.
The general meeting for elections is October 26 at 6:30.
Board meetings are always
held on the third Thursday of
each month.
All members are welcome at
board meetings.
Ritchie Home, 1016 Hamilton - ca. 1938
Buddy Murray poses in front.
Carrie Miller 925 Hamilton - 1947
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
By Richard Hartness
Reflecting on my June message about TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More), I realized this past quarter is proof.
Let‘s review a few examples:
(1) Our county history books arrived. They can be purchased for $60 and would make good Christmas presents. Michelle Slabaugh recruited the help of several retired teachers and others. Distribution was well organized, and within a short
time more had to be ordered. Several of those who helped said they would volunteer at the museum in the future.
(2) Donna Horton has been busy with Pasta Dinner plans for the first Friday in November. She has volunteers
throughout the community who have accepted various responsibilities to make that fund-raiser a success.
(3) Members of the 150th Birthday steering committee have been working on different aspects of the week-long celebration, for example, Kitty Bingham, Administrator of the Cross County Health Department and volunteer, asked and Joan Ball,
active Cherry Valley volunteer, agreed to chair the ―Tastes From Across The World‖ event with a committee of six ladies who
attended a recent meeting at the museum.
(4) The museum acquisitions committee has recently accepted donations of Wynne High School and U.S. Navy items
from the late Ed Ransom‘s estate. A Franklin treadle sewing machine used in Cross County by the great-grandmother of
Wynne‘s Dennis Jones was brought in. In addition, historical data from various donors was contributed to our archives.
(5) The nominating committee is preparing for the October election of Society secretary and two other board positions. (If anyone has a possible good board member in mind, please contact Donna Horton or Richard Hartness.)
(6) New enthusiasm has been created toward our New Hope School property with the infusion of Arkansas Historic
Preservation Program grant money.
Other projects in progress are: the dedication of a tri-county corner marker, meeting David Cross descendants during
the 15 November County Birthday Celebration, the ―Walk thru History‖ down East Hamilton Avenue; prospects of a one-act
play about Cross County‘s beginning; encouraging the use of the community event banner system at the Highway 64/Highway
One intersection, made possible through the cooperation of the Society, Entergy, Wynne City Council, and the Arkansas
Highway and Transportation Department (Note: More TEAM-work!); opening the museum after hours one day each week
for a “knit and crochet workshop”; making available community service hours for our county‘s high school students; sharing project ideas with the EAST labs in both high schools; giving in-service training in Arkansas history to teachers and opening the museum for seventh grade Arkansas history student field trips. Please look elsewhere in this edition of the ERA for
additional details about some of the items I‘ve mentioned.
Our oldest HVAC unit finally quit. Thanks to James Westmoreland, Westmoreland Heating and Air, and Judge Jack
Caubble, it has been replaced. After a very welcome Westmoreland donation, your Board approved splitting the remaining
replacement cost with the county. Now everyone can enjoy the controlled temperatures.
It‘s a busy and exciting time. At mid-year the museum had been host to around 1000 visitors. We need your cooperation, support, and willingness to volunteer as we continue to advance in so many different areas. My thanks to all who have
given of their time, talents, and finances as we grow the history society, the museum, New Hope School, and undertake additional projects. HAPPY 150th BIRTHDAY, CROSS COUNTY!”
County Birthday Celebration to be November 11-17, 2012
SUNDAY - 2:00 PM Veteran‘s Parade, From Wynne High to Cross Co. Courthouse
4:00 PM Old Time Gospel Sing; place to be determined.
MONDAY – Antique Tractors at Heartland Equipment
4-H Dutch Oven Fundraiser: Beans and Cornbread; Apple Dessert at Courthouse
Museum Visit – Agricultural Displays
TUESDAY – Downtown Caboose open for tours
Railroad Spike-driving Contest – watch for details
Museum Visit – Railroad Displays
WEDNESDAY- Business/Industry Emphasis – Special Edition of Wynne Progress. *
Watch for other events.
THURSDAY- 9:00 AM: Tri-County Corner Marker Dedication on CR 800 near Parkin
4:00 – 7:00 PM: Birthday Party at court house
Pioneer/First Families Day: Old fashion dress up time.
FRIDAY- 4:00 – 8:00 PM: Taste From Around The World at Women‘s Progressive Club
Historical Society Fundraiser: $ 5.00 per person at door, or with ticket.
SATURDAY- 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Museum emphasis on Confederate Heritage.*
ALL WEEK: Cross Co. Arts Council Art Show about people and places of the county‘s past at
the Cross County Library.
*Watch for other events.
2
Marathon’s Pasta Dinner
Planned for Nov 2
The Marathon Pasta Dinner,
sponsored each year by the Cross
County Historical Society, will again
be held at the Tech Center for the
Delta from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday November 2.
Tickets are $10 each, and the dinner is open to the public. Every
ticket sold helps the historical society.
Volunteers are needed to prepare
or serve the food. If you can make a
sauce or cook some pasta, PLEASE
let us know at 238-4100 or 633-1238.
HELP KEEP YOUR MUSEUM
OPEN.
Proctor Reaches out for Family History
Jerry Proctor, 1947 graduate of Wynne High School and son of Phillip Proctor, owner of one of the Proctor grocery stores in downtown Wynne, sent the letter below in hopes of hearing from someone who might know more about his family than what he has written here.
Jerry, who lives in Birmingham, AL, authors an internet blog called Thunderations, which can be read by clicking on http://
thunderations.wordpress.com. His short bio is located on his blog home page. Jerry has previously contributed to the ERA. We thank him
and hope we can help him. He can be contacted at [email protected].
Bridget:
Since you are with the Cross county historical association, it occurred to me that you might collect histories of families.
My own family has quite a long history but it is all oral. Not a single sentence was ever written down.
The old folks told me that we originated in 1750 in County Cork Ireland. The next 40 years are a blank, but in 1790 our first
immigrants set foot in Vermont where they settled down and apparently did well in business. The state includes a town named
―Proctor‖ and a granite quarry of the same identification. I am unsure of the relationship, but there was a William Redfield
Proctor from there who was McKinley‘s secretary of war during the Spanish American war.
But it was the War of 1812 that proved our undoing. Trade with Canada was stopped which caused a depression in New England. A part of the family packed up their covered wagons and headed west. Somewhere in Kentucky they got into an argument over directions. So they split up, with half heading southward into Tennessee, and the others continuing on west until
they landed in Cherry Valley, Arkansas. I have no more information about the family until the Civil War. There might be old
records, etc., somewhere in the county which might shed light on this era, but I have no idea where they might be or how to
begin to look for them.
The Civil War saga begins with my paternal grandfather who was a small child at the time. He apparently grew up during the
1870s-1880s. At this point a new person enters the story, a Union major from Indiana who served in Arkansas during the
war. He found the Cherry Valley area attractive and moved his family there. Among them was a small daughter named Belle,
who grew up after the war and married my grandfather. Together they launched the modern Proctor family, nine boys (one
died in infancy) most of whom resided in Wynne.
Incidentally, my grandmother Belle was alive during WWII, but I was too ignorant of family history at the time to question her
about details. Dang! The same thing happened in 1943 when my Aunt Laura introduced me to a black woman named Aunt
Jenny, who had been a slave during the Civil War and was 105 years old at the time. To me she was an historical artifact much
like Washington crossing the Delaware, so my powers of speech were stricken. She must have thought I was feeble-minded
because all I could do was gawk and stammer.
Think the Cross County Historical Association would be able to flesh out the story?
Jerry
A Childhood Story
by Jerry Proctor
I recall an afternoon spent with Jimmy and his brother, Jack, playing in their backyard. Their dad, Mr. Gardner, had to leave
for a short trip and he came out to remind them they were having chicken for supper that night. At the moment, the chicken
who was to star at the meal, was very much alive in a cage. He instructed them to slay the bird while he was gone and he
would complete preparation of the fowl when he returned.
We three scratched our heads and discussed the matter when he departed. We weren‘t especially skilled at executions and it
seems hurriedly crude and crass to just kill a creature against which we bore no grudge --- sort of a violation of its constitutional rights, so to speak. So we formed ourselves into a court with Jack as judge, Jimmy as prosecutor and me as defense attorney. Naturally I lost my case and Jack sentenced the chicken to death by hanging. We stood it on the backyard‘s white
picket fence, hung a rope around its neck and pushed it off, touching off a volley of flailing feathers and squawks.
At this moment, Mr. Gardner returned, somewhat put out at sight of justice being carried out. He leaped out of his car,
grabbed the chicken, gave it two quick turns, and snapped its head off. ―That,‖ he said, ―is how you kill a chicken.‖ Wow, that
was efficient. He left us to ponder the fact that every diverse creature seemed to be due its own method of leaving this world.
Jerry Proctor contributed to our last issue with “World War II on the Home Front.” In the above article he is speaking of Jim and Jack Gardner who
lived on Eldridge Court during their Wynne school days of 1936-1950. Jerry lived behind them on Lemon Street. Dr. Jack Gardner, a physician of many
years in Searcy, AR, is now deceased. Jim, a retired U. S. Air Force Major General, lives in Hanahan, SC. He contributed an article, “Another Great
Memory,” to our Fall 2011 issue of the ERA. To read these two articles, go to www.cchs1862.org and click on Newsletter.
3
New Hope School Committee Offering Memorial Plaques
In June, New Hope School secured a grant from the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program to work on Architect
Aaron Ruby‘s Phase 1 of his five-phase plan for the restoration of the school. Because of the high cost of custom-made windows (which the school has to have), window expense was not included in the grant. However, it was decided to offer each of
the nine windows as memorial windows. That idea has been happily accepted by many friends of New Hope School. In fact,
we actually ran out of windows, so we offered the three doors. Those were also snatched up! (People are soooo nice!) The
wall between the two rooms was removed during the 1950s to accommodate Glenn Head‘s assembly line peach-grading system. Now it has to be replaced, and the wall is the perfect place to honor and memorialize loved ones. We are calling it the
Memorial Wall of New Hope School. Many persons have purchased plaques in honor or memory of their loved ones. What
a great help this is going to be! Each window and door will hold a plaque telling who donated the gift and in whose memory
or honor it was given. The Memorial Wall will display every plaque requested by those wishing to have them. The wall
will be in a very bright, open area, easily seen by everyone entering, and it will have enough room for hundreds of plaques.
Each of these plaques is available at the same cost as the windows and doors, that is, with a $200 donation.
Danny Ball and his son, Danny Lynn, have offered to build each window at no charge! Having them built by a professional window company would cost almost $800 per window. Didn‘t I say that people are soooo nice? And many of our donors have no ties with the school, whatsoever! They just want to help get the school restored and active. We want to thank all
of these friends of New Hope School.
Those purchasing memorial windows are:
John and Donna Sanders Horton, in memory of her uncle, Owens Lee Sanders, and in honor
of her parents, Ollie Kay and Ruby Nell Grubbs Sanders
Robert Crawford, in memory of his parents, Grover and Maude Crawford
Bill Sullivan, in memory of his parents, Jeff and Estelle Sullivan and family
Charles and Jean Davis Snead, (two windows) one in memory of her sister Elaine Davis Thomas and another in memory of her brother, Roy ―Sonny‖ Davis
Rosemary Bullard, Jean Davis Snead and Eloise Davis Roberts, in memory of their parents,
Roy S. and Ruby Sullivan Davis
Roxanne, Patti Lee and Suzette Lindley, in honor of Bonnie Lindley Stokes and Willene Lindley Hampton, and in memory of their mother, Betty Lou Lindley Woods
John L. and Melissa Sanders Holland and family, and Billy Sanders and sons, in memory of
their parents, Owens Lee and Sibbie Sanders
Mike and Eileen Curtner, in memory of his mother, Tommye Nell Morris Curtner
Those purchasing doors are:
Ray, Brenda and Jayden Martin, in memory of her father, Floyd Kelly Collins, Jr.
Bonnie Cowan and Paulette Cowan Myers, in memory of their parents, Bill and Pauline
Cowan
All the Brimhall children, nieces and nephews, in memory of the entire Brimhall family
CHRISTMAS GIFTS?
Cross County History Books, $60
(Proceeds go to the museum.)
―Virtual Tour through Downtown
Wynne‖ history book, $50.00 (Proceeds
go to New Hope School.)
Membership in the Historical Society—
$15 each or $25 for a family. See back
of newsletter.
CCHS savings account gift in honor or
memory of a loved one. This account
will someday become an endowment
fund.
CCHS general fund gift in honor or
memory of a loved one.
Memorial Wall, New Hope School, in
honor or memory of a loved one.
Those purchasing Memorial Wall plaques are:
Museum for a day—$150.00 in honor or
Don and Sharon Sanders, in memory of their fathers, Owens Sanders and Troy Dearing
memory of a loved one.
David and Diana Jones, in memory of her father, Fred Halstead
Dr. Kenneth Beaton, in memory of his wife, Martha Derise Beaton
Rollie and Gracie Hall, in memory of Kenneth McCoy Hall, William Herbert Hall and in honor of Shirlene Hall Easler.
David and Nancy Taylor and Charlotte and Lyle McConnell, in memory of Owens and Sibbie Sanders
Danny and Patricia Grantham, in honor of his father, Raymond Havis Grantham
Ann Branch, Jeanette Barnett, Carol Green, Terry Dildine and Ricky Dildine, in memory of their mother, Rachel Grantham Dildine
MUSEUM-FOR-A-DAY, MEMORIALS, HONORARIUMS
Museum for a Day
Mary Ann Cruthirds,
memory of Jack, Marie Bartlett
Doris Jean Ward,
honor of Ray Shaver and
memory Shaver family
members
James and Jill Nickerson
Jack Ryan
CrossRidge/St. Bernard
Hospital
To CCHS
Ari and Dana Greenberg,
memory of Pearl and Izzy Steinberg
Sharon Littlejohn,
memory of Dr. Joe Littlejohn
Jerry and Jan Voyles,
memory of Bobby Voyles
Martha Carter,
memory of C.B. and Christine
Anderson Bailey
Harriet Carwell,
memory of J.L. Carwell, Jr. and
Barry Carwell
Historical Society
Endowment Savings Account
Anonymous,
honor of Leo and Charlene Smith
With added donations, this savings account will someday become an Endowment Fund, which
will never die, but will live to offer scholarships and maintenance
for the museum.
4
To New Hope School
John L. and Melissa Holland
& family, honor of
Ollie Kay Sanders’ birthday
William A. Waldrep,
memory of Joey Higgins
memory of Ann Carvill
Rita Hudson,
memory of Thelma and Glen Graddy
memory of DeLoss McKnight
Misplaced History Book Comes Home to CCHS
By Bridget Hart, Editor
Several days ago I had to go to an old email account for some information. I had not looked at that account for more than
six months. While there, I discovered the following email from retired attorney Jim Shaver of Wynne:
B: After reading latest CC HS newsletter wherein the 1863 letter appeared regarding the Civil War it brought to mind the letter
to Mrs. Maurice (Morris) Smith of December 2, 1970 which contained the attached account of Zemeriah Shaver's widow
Civil War experience. This may be of interest to the HS, if it doesn't already have a copy of this Cary Anderson letter.
TKS Jim
I emailed Jim, and after apologizing for not answering his email of six months ago, I asked him to attach the letter again, as
it was not attached to that old email. Instead, he left in my door a copy of the 1970 Cary Anderson letter and some copies of
portions of a book written by Anderson regarding the Shaver family history (which goes back about 13 American-born generations!) Since I edit The ERA, I was eager to see if there might be anything of interest to use in the newest issue of the newsletter.
The letter was addressed to Mrs. Morris Smith at the Cross County Library. It stated, ―...I promised a copy of my book
which includes much pertaining to Cross County history. I have finally gotten to the point where I can send it to you.‖ This
statement immediately stirred my curiosity, because I was not familiar with the book. I knew that many years ago Mrs. Maurice (Alva Jane Murray) Smith worked at the library. Although Mrs. Smith has been deceased for several years, surely the
book was still at the library!
I called the library and asked for the very efficient Sherry Reynolds, knowing that if the book were there, she would find it.
She promised to call me back. Not a minute later, my phone rang and Sherry announced that the volume was there, in fact two
copies of it!! She found that the name of the book is ―The Ancestry and Descendants of John Shaver, 1745 -1835‖ by W. Cary
Anderson. She read the fly leaf page of one of the books to me, ―Presented to Cross County Historical Society, Dec.2, 1983, W
Cary Anderson.‖ How interesting!
I asked if Sherry thought the library could allow the Historical Society to take possession of the book. She was glad to ask
Holly Mercer, Director of the library. Within two minutes, the phone rang again and Sherry announced that the library would
be glad to give us our treasure, and that I was to pick it up on Wednesday.
I couldn‘t wait to see what was in it, so I immediately rushed to the library to have a look! I took some pictures of Sherry
holding it and promised to come back the next day to pick up the book for placement in our Cross County Historical Society
museum. I received the work, and have printed below some excerpts from it.
Of course, no one at the library had noticed the flyleaf stating the book was for the historical society, so it‘s no one‘s fault
that the historical society didn‘t receive the publication sooner. The society had disbanded in the middle1970s and did not reorganize until June 5, 2003. Since then, many artifacts have been returned from storage at the library to the historical society.
Today, the Anderson book lies on the shelf at the Cross County Museum, thanks to Jim Shaver and his six-month old email!
It is not yet decided whether persons may handle the valuable book, but it can not be removed from the museum. The letter to
Mrs. Smith is on the following page.
Excerpts from the book:
...The Shavers were among the first, if not the first, white family to establish permanent residence
in what is now Cross and Poinsett Counties, Arkansas. Perhaps as early as 1815, Charlotte Shaver arrived in the area of Bay Village. It is said that the Shavers are of Welsh and Scotch descent.
This area was part of Missouri Territory in 1815 and in that year Lawrence County was organized
by the legislature of Missouri Territory. 2 March 1819 Congress created ‗Arkansaw‘ Territory. Sometime in the 1820‘s Green County was taken from Lawrence, then Phillips was formed from Greene;
and in 1827 St. Francis County was created from Phillips. 28 February 1838 Poinsett County was
organized from St. Francis, and in September 1862 Cross County was formed from Poinsett, St. Francis, and Crittenden. Therefore, the Shavers lived in six counties and two territories without ever moving.
...In the 1830 census of St. Francis County, Arkansas, Joseph Shaver and Robert Shaver are found
in Franklin Township and Charles Shaver in Mitchell Township.
...When Charles and Rebecca Shaver arrived at Sugar Creek (Bay Village) near the end of the summer of 1824, they found a vast virgin wilderness. The nearest white man was some twenty miles away
on Copperas Creek near present day Levesque.
...The troubles, trials and hardships they had in subduing and overcoming the difficulties they had in
their new home were not a few. In addition to the useful elements of nature, there were the ever present panthers, wolves, wildcats, and bears. ...It was not uncommon for a pack of wolves to enter the lot
or enclosure at night and kill sheep and carry off a whole litter of young pigs. The bears would kill the
grown hogs. The cat and panther were very desperate when they were hungry. They were known to attack man.
(Continued on page 6)
5
1970 Letter from W. Cary Anderson to Mrs. Maurice Smith
Apt. 103
1126 26th Ave.
Greeley, CO 80631
Dec. 2, 1970
Mrs. Morris Smith
Cross County, Ark, Library
Wynne, Arkansas
Dear Mrs. Smith:
I enjoyed my short chat with you this summer when I left some books with you. At that time I promised a copy of my book
which includes much pertaining to Cross County history. I have finally gotten to the point where I can send it to you.
I hope that it will be of interest to those interested in the history of the county. Some of it has no interest except to members
of the families being discussed. I think that the material beginning on page 43 - 44; 57 - 68; 73 - 75; 103 - 137 (which is the
diary of J. H. Parker which was written while he lived about a mile and a half north east of Clark‘s Chapel and Miles Rooks‘
present home); and 139 - 141 would be of interest to all interested in Arkansas and particularly Cross County. The diary is
quite a find and one can get a feel for the way the common man lived in the 1870‘s in that part of the United States.
The Shaver information on pages 139 -141 differs somewhat from the account in the History of Cross County. I believe my
account to be more authentic as I have documented most of the material of the earlier period. I believe that 1815 is the best
date for the Shaver arrival. It could not take place after 1820. This year, 1970, would be the 155th or 150th anniversary of
their arrival. I have hoped that some Shaver living in Cross County would become interested in developing a history of the
Shaver family. I know you are aware of the many Shaver descendants in the county as well as their valued contributions to the
county and state.
After my visit with you, Sue Cottrell Perry and I went to Vanndale and visited some of the old historical sites. We went out
to Mr. Zion Cemetery and from the work I had done and the diary of Parker, I was able to recognize many of the people buried
there. I also was surprised to find that it is still being used for burials. We went to the old court house at Vanndale and had a
good visit with the lady who has leased the place. What a task she had before her to get it in decent condition. Vandalism was
evident all over the place. I don‘t recall her name but she appeared to have as much love for the place as Mrs. Hare had when
she lived there. Sue and I also hunted up the marker erected to the two Confederate regiments that left from Cross County.
What a hunt that was!
Most of the time I was thinking of Mrs. Hare and her love of the history of the county and how hard she tried to preserve it.
It seems a shame that a group can‘t be formed that would continue what Mrs. Hare tried while she was able. We are fortunate
in haveing (sic) a published history of the county. But as I read it I find many areas of the county missing. Also, things that I
know of not included.
Sincerely,
W Cary Anderson
(The first Cross County Historical Society was established on May 23, 1973. Later, it became inactive until June 5, 2005.)
Misplaced History Book... (Continued from page 5)
...That year, 1825, Charles‘ (Shaver) brother Joseph and his wife, Anne joined the Sugar Creek settlement... The Hydrick family came to the settlement
about this time. ...With the coming of Charles and Joseph‘s nephews, James C. and John Wesley Shaver, and their families in 1827, the Sugar Creek or
Shaver Settlement, was becoming a bustling little village in the heart of the wilderness.
...Richmond Hall and family and George Standford and family settled on the Bay Road near Newman, about five miles east of Harrisburg in 1827. The
Harris family settled one mile south of Harrisburg in 1829. Col. Charles Neeley settled at Walnut Camp, now known as Birdeye, on the Bay Road in about
1830. William Smith and family settled in township 11 in 1831 on a section of land on which a part of Beaver, first county site of Poinsett, was located.
...A well-traveled road was the one the Shaver, Hydrick and Stacy families had from Bay Village over toward Cherry Valley, south past the Halk,
Brown, F.M. Hare, Mann, Pipkin, Woodward and Lea places. Old Marvin Church was in that neighborhood. The Batesville Road led out north and west,
passing the Rev. Thomas P. Hare‘s home, Oak Grove (now Vanndale), Joe Lewellen, Warren Dillard, Ned Hare, Applewhite, and McFerren farms. over
L‘Anguille River at Zemeriah Shaver. /He had a covered toll bridge at this crossing built in the 1850‘s./ ...The late Col. Tom Fitzpatrick lived a short distance from there. George W. Anderson, ―Col.‖ William Fountain, Clark, Ball, Rooks, Jones, Parker, Massey, Simmons, and Manley families lived in that
neighborhood.
The Murrell Gang...gathered ... near Marion in Crittenden County, but it soon got so hot for them that they made their way over into St. Francis County
and up Crowley‘s Ridge... One of two of the leaders were hung by the authorities of St. Francis County...1832 to 1834...in what is now Cross County.
Economic Cutbacks Felt at Museum
Dear friends,
It is unfortunate, but due to lack of funding I will be leaving the historical society at the end of September. I have had the
pleasure to meet people I would ordinarily not have met, grown closer to those I already knew and have learned so, so much
about Cross County and its history. I have enjoyed the time I've spent associated with the Cross County Historical Society and
I truly hope that I am leaving the Cross County Museum a better place. I know I am a better person for having had this experience.
God bless you all, Joy McMinn
6
WHS Football Squad of 1943
The WHS football squad of 1943 consisted of some irregular players. Several of them had served in the WWII Armed
Forces before returning to graduate from Wynne High School. Veterans were allowed to play high school football until they
were 21 years of age. They had to quit the team in mid-season if they became 21. Notice in the schedule that teams played
each other twice during World War II, and nearby towns were chosen. During wartime, gasoline was a valued commodity,
and therefore strictly rationed.
Top: 60 Bill Tyler, 70 Walter Milton, 64 Jack Hastings, 55 Bob Fallis, 89 Howard McMinn, 71 Claude Brawner, 51 Bob Lotridge. Next Row Down:
Eugene Crawford, 68 Cecil Brown, 50 Jack Wallin, 59 Vernon Head, 64 Ray Brown, Bob Harrell, Kenneth Hamrick, Coach Paul McFerrin. Next Row
Down: 68 Leonard Carter, 6? Bob Courtway, 62 J.W. ―Buddy‖ Sullivan, 58 Pete Allen, Thomas Baker, 63 Billy Nichols, 50 Bobby Jarrell
Front: Mgr. Bobby Brown, Franklin Stroope, Mgr. Alvin Allen
Our thanks goes to Hazel Carter for the picture, Eddie Ransom and Claude Brawner, Jr. for the information.
Schedule:
W 14-Hughes 0
W 13-Parkin 12
W 6-Brinkley 13
W 21-Augusta 7
W 14-Hughes 0
W 19-Marianna 0
W 39-Helena 0
W 13-Parkin 6
W 2-Frrst City 0
W 21-Augusta 7
W 14-Cttn Plant 0
Knitting Group at Museum Now Back on Schedule
A knitting group meets every Thursday night from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. in the museum. Call the museum at 238-4100 if you are interested.
Geo-caching in Cross County If you have questions about geo-caching, call Kim Williams at 870-295-2005.
Hickory Ridge History Book
The Hickory Ridge history book is available from three sources. The online bookstore, www.trafford.com, will print a new copy on demand, but has no
copies in stock. Amazon and Barnes and Noble have copies in stock and the book can be delivered within the week. For more information on prices, call
877-655-1722, write to Lester Sing, 1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403, or email him at [email protected].
Books and CDs On Sale at the Museum
“Wittsburg, Wynne, and Points Nearby” by Richard Hartness. Hardcover $29.95; paperback $19.95 plus $4.95 shipping for each.
The book is a combination of reprints of four publications Hartness compiled in 1970. Make check to Richard Hartness.
“A Virtual Tour through History in Downtown Wynne, Arkansas‖ by Bridget Hart. Hardback only. $50 plus $5.50 shipping.
All proceeds go to New Hope School. Available by picking up or calling at the museum 870-238-4100. Please make check to New Hope
School.
“The Harrison Riot” by Reverend J. K Farris of Wynne. Published 1924. CD. $5.00 plus $3.00 shipping. Make check to New
Hope School.
“Wynne, Arkansas: a Look Back at 1947” DVD Film narrated by Bridget Hart. $25.00 plus $3.00 shipping. Make check to
Wynne Downtown Revitalization and mail to Bridget Hart, P. O. Box 943, Wynne, AR 72396.
“Downtown Wynne Cookbook” compiled by Florence Halstead and Bridget Hart. Features pictures of downtown businesses in
2007. $10.00. Make check to Wynne Downtown Revitalization.
“Opportunity of a Lifetime” by T.A. Bedford, Jr. 1904 booklet reprinted. $3.00 plus $1.00 postage. Make check to Cross Co. Historical Society. Booklet may be picked up at the museum at 711 E. Union. For more information, email the museum: [email protected], call 870-238-4100 or write to Cross Co. Museum, P.O. Box 943, Wynne, AR 72396.
When mailing to museum, please use P. O. Box 943, Wynne, AR 72396.
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CROSS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
P. O. Box 943
Wynne, AR 72396
[email protected]
www.cchs1862.org
The ERA may be viewed on the website above.
FALL 2012
Volunteers are needed a few hours a day at the museum, please. Contact Donna Horton at 870-633-1238 or [email protected].
Would you like to sponsor the museum for a day? Call the museum at 238-4100.
Cross County ERA
Published quarterly by the Cross County Historical Society, P. O. Box 943, 711 East Union Avenue, Wynne, AR 72396, 870-238-4100
Bridget Hart, Editor. Consultants: Betty Holland, Georgia Ross, George Anne Draper, Joy McMinn.
To contact editor: [email protected] - DEADLINES FOR ARTICLES are the 10th of Dec, Mar, Jun, Sep.
CD About Cross County Found on the internet is the following ad: ―Cross County History and Genealogy. An informative and historical overview of
Cross County, Arkansas including two separate books on one CD which include 4 historical maps (1855, 1895, 1898, and 1915); plus the sections 1890
Goodspeed Publishing Company Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Cross County, Arkansas book on CD including 103 family biographies. An
important resource for the study and research of Cross County, Arkansas history and genealogy.‖ See link:
http://www.hearthstonelegacy.com/cross_county_arkansas.htm
We love CROSS COUNTY BANK !! Readers, let Cross County Bank know you appreciate their help!
Our appreciation goes to David Dowd, his secretary Kim, and the Cross County Bank for the printing of this newsletter and all the
previous newsletters since 2006!! WE COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT CCB!! The bank is located in downtown Wynne at 1 Cross
County Bank Plaza, PO Box 9, Wynne, AR 72396, Telephone 870-238-8171, with branches in Wynne, Hickory Ridge, and Cherry Valley.
BUILD PRESERVATION IN CROSS COUNTY—JOIN YOUR COUNTY’S HISTORICAL SOCIETY
MEMORIALS ARE WELCOME
Please make checks payable to Cross County Historical Society, New Hope School, or CCHS Savings Account, and mail to
P. O. Box 943, Wynne, AR 72396 Persons donating $15 or more to any of these accounts becomes a member of CCHS.
Memberships: Individual $15__ Family $25__ Institutional $35__ Sustaining $50__ Patron $100__ Benefactor $250__
Advocate $500__ Lifetime $1000__
Name____________________________________________ Email Address_________________________________________________
Address________________________________________________________________________________________________________
GIFT: ( ) In Memory of: ( ) In Honor of: _________________________________________________________________________
Address:__________________________________________________________________________
Please notify the following of this gift: _______________________________________________________________________________
Address:________________________________________________________________________________
501 (c) (3) Non-profit Organization—EID #23-7402592
Disclaimer: Neither the Board of Directors, nor the Cross County Historical Society, Inc, assumes any responsibility for statements made by contributors to this newsletter.
Correspondence or comments concerning such matters should be addressed directly to the authors.
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